Technical Field
The present invention relates to physical access control and identity management, access control mechanisms for managing physical “points of service”, physical access portals, or other physical resource access control methods and apparatus, wireless door actuators, locks, and security systems.
Description of the Related Art
Within this application the term physical access portal (portal) refers to a control point or boundary through which a person or vehicle or object can traverse if permitted or be denied transit whether it is an entrance or exit from or to a structure or area or region. Non-limiting examples of portals are doors, gates, lifts, elevators, bridges, tunnels, tubes, vehicles, chair, tow, canal lock, hatch, or wormhole.
As is known, mobile devices including wearable devices, communicating via the cellular telephone network, also include geo-location services by detecting signal strengths and phases from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, Wi-Fi Access Points, Cellular Base Stations, Bluetooth beacons, and other non mobile signal emitters which have fixed location. As is known, mobile devices may include circuits for image capture in 2D or 3D in visible and non-visible spectrum and comparison with stored images.
As is known, mobile devices including cellular phones and wearables often include NFC, RFID, and Bluetooth transceivers which can connect with security system readers.
Conventional access control systems depend on one or at most two factors of authentication. Usually a key or key card is a resonator energized by a reader. The reader is hard wired to a server which verifies access time and location of a particular door or entry. Upon presentation of the key card, an identity is transmitted to the server which operates a door lock/unlock solenoid through a wire or network. Mere possession of the key or key card enables access during certain times.
A Key Card is often lost by the user and needs to be replaced. This has a cost associated with it. The user needs to remember to bring the “key card” with them. They often forget and a temporary card needs to be issued. The key card is not always important to the user so they neglect it.
As is known in the industry there is a desire to replace the key card with a personal mobile phone because this eliminates an item that the user must carry-and her personal phone is an item that is important to the user so she takes constant care to retain it.
Mobile phones and other electronic devices do not today typically have an NFC or RFID built in. Many however have Bluetooth function built in. There is a desire to use this function to open the door and many products have been introduced to “read” a Bluetooth signal at the door. This solution, however, requires installation of new hardware at the door, which can be costly.
Another conventional access control system depends on knowledge of a pass code, phrase, numerical combination, or answers to questions. Knowledge of the shared secret enables access during certain times. Some systems use a combination of a NFC reader with a shared secret. Because the channels are essentially bidirectional the shared secret can be stolen.
Alternately, a cryptographic key code which is pseudo-randomly generated by a dedicated dongle has the problem of delivery to an authorized user and retention by the authorized user. It can be left behind, lost, or stolen.
As is known, physical access to the server compromises all security schemes.
What is needed is increased flexibility, granularity, and heightened security for access control. What is needed is a method to utilize mobile wirelessly connected personal devices to open doors without replacing the legacy hardware at the door